Thursday, May 3, 2018

The Best of Spring in the San Juans Part 1: Fox Kits
Monika Wieland Shields writes in Orca Watcher: "There are so many
things to love about this time of year in the Salish Sea: the longer
days and warmer temperatures, the return of migrant birds, the generally
calmer waters, and the increase in whale sightings are just a few for
me. But there's a couple other classic elements of a spring in the San
Juan Islands, and one of them is the emergence of fox kits from their
dens..." (Read more)

Padilla Bay researchers discuss recent findings
Scientists at the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
described some of their research projects Friday, providing area citizen
scientists and volunteers with a snapshot of talks they gave in April
at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference in Seattle. The conference
reached a milestone this year, having first been held 30 years ago, said
Western Washington University’s Salish Sea Institute Director Ginny
Broadhurst, who helped organize the event. The Salish Sea Ecosystem
Conference brings together scientists from throughout the Salish Sea
region in the United States and Canada to discuss recent findings,
ongoing research and challenges in understanding and protecting the
Salish Sea. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. First Nation bids for Coast Guard contract to boost oil-spill response
A B.C. First Nations community is seeking a front-line role in federal
plans to improve marine oil-spill response on the West Coast as part of
the new resources Ottawa promised to smooth the way for the Kinder
Morgan pipeline expansion. Ottawa announced the $1.5-billion Ocean
Protection Plan late in 2016, at the same time it approved the pipeline
project that will bring a seven-fold increase in oil tanker shipments
off B.C.’s coast. In its request for proposals, the federal government
is seeking a supplier to provide two emergency towing vessels with crews
to the Coast Guard to help mitigate risks from disabled large
commercial vessels. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

In Oklahoma, Critics Say Pruitt Stalled Pollution Case After Taking Industry Funds
Scott Pruitt, the current head of the Environmental Protection Agency,
first came to national prominence back when he was Oklahoma’s Attorney
General. In that role, he sued the agency he now runs 14 times, in a
series of court cases alleging overreach by the federal government.
Environmentalists in Pruitt’s home state say Pruitt was much less
aggressive when it came to enforcing Oklahoma’s environmental laws and
going after polluters. An examination of Pruitt’s record on
environmental issues in Oklahoma shows that Pruitt’s positions were
often more in line with business and industry than environmentalists. As
EPA Administrator, Pruitt has aggressively pursued an agenda to roll
back Obama-era regulations on vehicle emissions standards, water quality
and the climate. Pruitt has also said that he believes the science
behind climate change should be up for debate. Joe Wertz and Tom
Dreisbach report. (NPR)

How Did Birds Lose Their Teeth And Get Their Beaks? Study Offers Clues
Scientists are one step closer to understanding how modern birds evolved
to have beaks, and the answer starts millions of years ago with some of
the sexiest dinosaurs. Modern gulls, with their large eyes, long beaks
and distinctly ancient-looking and bony faces, descended from animals
such as the velociraptor and T. Rex. (Next time you get a hungry look
from a seagull, remember that.) For more than a century, paleontologists
have used fossils from all over the world to piece together how large,
toothy, land-bound lizards evolved into flying, toothless, feathered
animals. The key is fossils of so-called stem birds, which are ancient
birdlike dinosaurs that offer clues about the bones and brains of modern
birds. One such creature, Ichthyornis, is the subject of a study
published today that fills in some of the missing links in the evolution
of birds. Rebecca Hersher reports. (NPR)

New book great for birders, photographers and tourism guides
Adrian Dorst is Tofino’s birding expert and with the release of his newest book, “The Birds of Vancouver Island’s West Coast”,
he has cemented that title in place. Rather than putting another bird
identification book on the market, something he says there are already
enough of, he wrote the book “he would have wanted” as a birder.... To
fill that niche, he has carefully crafted a log of every confirmed bird
sighting on Vancouver Island’s west coast from Jordan River to Cape
Scott. The book serves as a record of sightings and a guide for those
wanting to spot a particular species or learn more about local bird
habits. Marcie Cllewaert reports. (Westerly)

Hawaii Approves Bill Banning Sunscreen Believed To Kill Coral Reefs
Hawaii lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit the sale of
over-the-counter sunscreens containing chemicals it says are
contributing to the destruction of the state’s coral reefs and other
ocean life. If signed by Gov. David Ige, it would make Hawaii the first
state in the country to pass such a law and would take effect on Jan. 1,
2021.... The chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in
more than 3,500 of the world’s most popular sunscreen products,
including Hawaiian Tropic, Coppertone and Banana Boat, would be
prohibited. Vanessa Romo reports. (NPR)

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Salish Sea Communications provides communications and public relations services that raise visibility and engage audiences. Drawing on over 30 years experience in private, public and not-for-profit work, Mike Sato brings to you his skills and insights in developing and carrying out your print, electronic and social media projects and products. "I've been in the communications business since 1977 starting with community weekly newspapers then working for Seattle City Light, the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Hawaiian Electric Company and, for 20 years, People For Puget Sound." Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told. WA State UBI #601395482